Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Ira and her daughter. They are doing good, she is happily married to a man from Tokmok.

Cholpon is married and has a daughter - recently reunited with her mother and members of her family.

Vika is doing good. Married to a young man with a strong and supportive family.

Dima (18 years old) is doing good. He is passing exams right now. Reunited with his mother after 8 years separated. He has another 3 exams this summer and hopefully will get documents of graduating from 9th grade! He works - changing oil for the cars. We all is waiting for his graduation and very proud of him.

Aziz still passing all University exams. He has another two exams. Very smart and doing well. Lives with his family.

Umurbek and Janybek are doing well and are now living at one of our transition apartments - the Dayspring Steps Apartment. Janybek still on summer courses. Umurbek is looking for job right now.

Sveta is living with Sondra at Eagles' Next Life Skill Farm for the summer.

Aima has moved into the Jeremiah Steps transition apartment.

Kristina, Jenya and Nargisa are living at Jeremiah House and will be engaged in summer time work at Eagles' Nest.

Would you like to invest in these stories and more? We are looking for investors - persons who see themselves as investing in the futures of these youth and others who come from a hard place.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

A dear friend serving in China has been going through a major loss with her family - after serving little children and babies with down syndrome and two months ago having them "ripped" from them to be put back into an orphanage....because of government incompetence...and watching the once thriving children fade back into their traumatic shell.

Another friend in India struggling after a theft of his passports/visas and funds he worked to raise on a recent trip to the USA.

Then there is the ministry in another area of India - believing God and building a state of the art Child Healing Center that will serve children and families across India that have experienced trauma.

A village in Botswana still struggling to "bounce back" from the recent devastating flood.

Our Nepal partners still struggling to bring help to remote villages and homes from the earthquake many around the world have forgotten about.

Seeing a dear friend continue to struggle with her adoption and realizing how difficult it is to raise a child who has experienced trauma - and severe sexual abuse.

Hearing the story of a little 3 year old sold for sex by her birth mother at the age of 3 - now a school age child with severe physical issues and the caregiver in great pain and confusion of how to help her and now learning she likely need major medical attention due to the damage to her body.

AND then there are our Jeremiah/Dayspring children in Kyrgyzstan - struggling to beat the odds - of what happens to youth and children who have grown up in an orphanage. Now living in Jeremiah/Dayspring homes - we see the change - the hope and the successes. We also see the struggles they have, the lack of self-regulation, low competence, and difficult attachment issues. We witness their hopes and their moments of doubts.

Every moment of every day we are reminded of our own shortcomings, and we ask ourself many difficult questions about the past, the present, and even the future. People ask us questions about why we do this at our age. Others ask when are we going to retire. Still others remind us that we are nothing special and how others are doing it better, are younger, better equipped or have better backgrounds for this. We are reminded of our past failures by some and questioned as to how we could be doing this all now at our age?

WHY? Well, the only answer IS "WHY NOT?" You see, none of us will ever be good enough, or equipped enough. But we don't need to be - all we need to do is to be obedient to what we know we have been called to do. All of us can SHOW UP AND STOP FOR THE ONE IN FRONT OF US! Each and eevery oneof us can make a difference, no matter how we have failed in the past, no matter that we don't know everything, or have all the answers.

We can step out! We can show we care! The world is not being kind to children. Around the globe, there are orphans living in bondage of governments and literally passed over. But we can show a different side - we can encourage those serving, we can pray and we can make a difference.

SO FOR US - WE CONTINUE TO WHAT WE CAN DO...

We have just completed a training with 25 caregivers who care and trying hard to make a difference in some very difficult circumstances. Those 25 caregivers represent over 200 children who are both in residential placement and living with families in the area. We just praise God that we can continue to grow the youth in Jeremiah/Dayspring, encourage our partners in different countries by praying, training and consulting. So maybe we become reflective at times - and even have a heavy heart. But we know we have a purpose - we CHOOSE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO.

And we do THANK YOU - as you make it possible for us to serve and show up!

Just a few pictures from our dear caregivers here in Nicaragua from last week.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

This month was very busy. The end of the quarter, the end of the school year for school children and students, exams are over. Of course, everyone is glad to see the end of the year - as they are ready for a great summer.

The Jeremiah/Dayspring family helped the children finish their studies and prepare for the exams. One amazing news is that Jenya - who ended the year at the top of her class was EXEMPTED from all exams - since she did so well all year long. She was ecstatic and we are so proud of her.

In the evenings they played board games, weaved with beads, talked, went out for shish kebab, went for a walk to Hawaii ground outside of Tokmok, were guests at a circus, and after the show went to a Chinese restaurant and walked around Bishkek. This was an awesome month for family time.

Jenya’s brother Aleksei from Red River came to 2 times to visit her at JH/DS. They played Monopoly, watched cartoons, and played ball in the yard. Aleksei was leaving with reluctance. He was very pleased with the conversation with Jenya during his visit.

The girls did lots of homework over the month and helped in cooking. In the summer they will have a culinary day when they will learn to prepare new dishes and practice those that have already prepared. In addition, Jenya and Sveta had the opportunity to help Sandra at Eagles' Nest Life Skill Farm clean the area of weeds and plant corn with LAMb staff.

And the month ended with ALL successful passing of exams!

Now on to summertime! This summer - we will have four youth moving into our steps apartments - 2 boys into Dayspring Steps and 2 girls into Jeremiah Steps. The boys will be completing additional courses at University. Sveta will work with Sondra at Eagles' Nest Life Skill Farm and Aima will be working a full time job.

The girls at Jeremiah/Dayspring House will be working with Sondra at the Farm and with mom and papa at home in additon to summer activities for all.

OUR REGISTERED COUNTRY ORGANIZATIONS

PASTOR GLEN

ABOUT LAMb

We are a registered charity of Canada, committed to activating and equipping leaders around the world! Protecting children, Strengthening families, Growing communities! Ephesians 4:12
Commissioned by Mapleview Community Church in 2004

Designated Giving Policy of LAMb International FOR CANADA AND THE USA

CANADIAN INVESTORS: Spending of funds is confined to LAMb International approved programs and projects. Each restricted contribution designated toward an approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by LAMb International, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such program or project will be used where needed most. (Charity's Business Number - BN 81700 7024 RR0001)

USA INVESTORS: LAMb International USA is a United States 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt public charity (tax ID #80-0620953). At all times both LAMb International Canada and LAMb International USA retain ultimate authority to use contributions at their discretion for purposes consistend with their tax exempt purposes.